Last



Patented July 23,1946

LAST

Henry F. `Loewer, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to United Last Company, Portland, Maine,va corporation of Maine Application June 13, 1944, Serial No. 540,073

7 Claims. (Cl. 12-136) This invention relates to lasts and more particularly to the type of lasts which comprise two parts, mainly, the fore part and the heel part which are separate from each other except that they are connected together by a metal link.

One object offV the invention is t0 connect the two parts bythe link so that the one part will swing on a transverse pivot on the other part and shift its long axis through a large angle, the link and the parts being arranged to hold the two parts of the last in close relation to eachother at all times.

Another object of the invention is to provide a locking device that will lock the two parts of the last rmly together when their axes are in line with each other.

Anotherobject of the invention is'to permit the two parts to be shifted in relation-to each other so that they can be more easily inserted in and removed from the shoe or so that the shoe can 'be the more easily placed on the last or as it is said in the language of the trade so that the shoe can be more easily relasted without dam-v age to the shoe. I

These and other objects and features oi the invention will be illustrated in the drawings, described in the specification and pointed -out in th'e claims thereof. l

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section-through th last showing the locking device in locking position. f

Figure 2` is a longitudinal section through the last with the parts in the same position as shown in Figure 1 except that the locking device is in on which they are mounted, the last itself being omitted. n

.Figure 6 is a longitudinal section through the last showing a modified form. of the link for holding the two parts of the last together, .the locking device and the remaining parts ofthe last being identical with what is shown in Figure 1.

Figure '7` is a sectional view showing the last in the intermediate collapsed position.

Figure 8 is a sectional view showing the last in itslnal collapsed position.

Figure 9 is a top plan view of an assemblyof a link shown in Figure 6 and the locking'device and the three pins on which they are mounted. the last itself being omitted.

In the drawings, like reference numerals indicate like parts. l

This last is made by a`r` process that is commonly used in the manufacture of wooden lasts. The wooden part or the last is turnedV toits nal shape and is madev from one piece of wood.

The three pin holes, I, 2 and 3 are then bored in the last. The last isthen sawed on 'the lines 4 and 5 and the heel and the fore parts of the last are thenbroken apart by causing the woodto be split along the grain and thereby form a horizontal deck or shelf 6 on each part of the last at this'point, which shelf is from 1/8" to 1/4 wide and extends across the last.

After `the fore and heel partsV of the last are Abroken apart, the recess 'I is cut or morticed into theiore part I2 of the last and the recess 8 is cut or morticed into the heel part I3 of the last by an apparatus that is in common use in many last factories andconstitutes no part of my invention.

These mortices are cut into the two parts of the last to receive the link 9 and the locking device Il'I and it will be understood that that part of the mortice in each case which receives the locking device Il) only 'will be narrower than that part of the mortice which received the link 9 for as shown in Figure 5 the link is wider than Vthe locking device. Y f' For the purpose of permanently holding the heel and fore ,parts 'of the last together I provide'thel link.` 9,.which comprises two parallel plates assisshown' ih Figure 5 joined together at one endiby a yokeV I4,`;it b eing understood that this link is madeall in one piece, and that the so-called parallel platesare bent on the yoke part to bring themint'o parallel relation Iwith each other as is shownin Figure 5.. At vone endof the link is a round hole to receive the pin I5 and at the other end4 ofthe link is a slot I6 which is adapted to receive the pin I I.` The long axis .of this slot points toward the pin hole for the ypin I5. l

It will also be understood that the pin I5 is in theheel ypart of thelast and the pin I1 is in the fore part of the last.

the pin I8' for the purpose thatwill nowV bedescribed. Y i y, f" i.

A locking device I0v is providedwhich locking .device consists of `ametal pltej having a pin hole therein with which it swingson pin I1. This In the heel part of the vlast is also provided f VWith the parts of the last f 3 plate is mounted to swing between the parallel plates comprised in the link 9 and it is therefore narrower than the link. It has a handle as indicated at 20 and on the under side of it, it is cut away to form a lug 2|, leaving a recess between the lug and the intermediate part, of the locking device.

As shown in Figure 1-I the under surface of the lug 2| is cut substantiallyon a radius with the pin hole which engages the pin l1, so that the lug will make close engagement with and substantially lock itself on the pin I8 when the locking device is placed in the position shown in Fig- 'A ure 1.

In -the fore part ofthe last is bored a hole 23 in which is placed a spring pressed pin 24. Against the head of this pin bears the cam surface 25 formed on the locking device. With Vthe locking device It) in the position shown in Fig-v ure 2, the pin is pressed into the recess, but when the locking device is placed in engagement with the pin 3, the pin is pushed out by the spring that surrounds it and helps to hold the locking device in locking position on the pin I8.

It will also be understood that the link 9 is cut away as indicated at 2l with a deep recess which extends-beyond a line connecting the slot I6 and the hole occupied by the pin l5. This is for a purpose that will presently be described.

When the two parts of the last are placed in the intermediate collapsed position shown in Figure 3, this link swings toward the edge 39 on the heel part of the last and if the link were not cut away the movement of the link and the fore part of the last would be limited by this edge 36. But because the link is cut away to receive.

the edge S on the heel part of the last, the link and the fore part of the last can be swung up to the position shown in Figure 4 in which position the axis of the fore part of the last is nearly at right angles, with'the axis of the heel part of the last. Y Y

This greatly shortens the distance between the back of the heel part of the last and the tip of the .fore part of the lastand makes it much easier to place the shoe on the last when in the position Vshown inFigure 4 after which the fore part is brought to the position shown in Figure 1 with the shoe placed fully in position thereon. 1t also makes it much easier to remove the shoe from the last and. avoids any tearing or straining of the shoe either in placing the shoe on the last or in removing it therefrom. It will be remembered that the measurement around the contour of the heel fof the last is much greater than the opening in the top of the shoe through which opening the heel of the last can pass easily without damage to the shoe when the heel is in the position shown in Figure 4, but the heel of the last would damage the shoe in passing through the opening if the toe were in the position shown in Figure 1. It will also be understood that the deck or shelf E formed on each of the two partsof the last is nearly in line with the pin holes I and 2 and can be-'either slightly above or below the line. This position of the shelves makes it possible to shorten up the last when inthe position shown in Figures Sand 4 and it also makes it possible forthe lockingV device IB to draw the two parts Vof the lastffirmly together inl Xed' relation to each other one against the other independent of any holding effect of the link, all as'shown-in Figurel. v Y

in the position shown in-Figure 1,' the decks or-shelves are much .out

of line with the pins Il and I8 and a little above the line connecting the pins l5 and I1. The shelves 6 and the two pins l1 and la are placed at the corners of a triangle. When the locking device l is moved to the position shown in Figure 1, the two shelves 6 are drawn firmly together, the one shelf on the other. Any tendency of the fore part of the last to rotate around the corner 44 is prevented by both the link 9 and the locking device i0. Any tendency of the fore part of the last to move toward the position shown in Figures 3 and 4 is prevented by the locking device I0. It will be understood that in certain operations in the making of the shoe a heavy heightwise pressure is exerted on the sole as in thelaying or leveling of the sole, and any tendency to cause the two parts of the last to spread or otherwise move from the position shown in Figure 1 when such pressure is in the region of the joint is counteracted by the locking device, and shelf 6.

As shown in lFigureY 1 the heel part of the last rests on a cam plate 4D from which extends up an extension or jack post 4| into the hole 42 provided in the heel part of the last. By rotating the last about the post 4I the handle 2i] of the locking device it may be caused to run out on a high part of the cam plate and be thereby moved into the unlocking position shown in Figure 2,v

after which the toe of the shoe. andthe fore part of the last can be swung up to the position shown in Figures 3 and 4, permitting the easy removal of the shoe from the last.

The post 4| is provided with a device 7| which enters the hole 42 in the heel part to grip the lattery while the shoe is being placed on the last or `removed therefrom, more especially while the shoe is being removed from the last. Y

In Figures 6, '7, 8 and 9 I have shown ay last that is substantially the same as that shown in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive except that the link 5t is substituted for the link 9 shown in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive. It will be understood that the fore and heel part of the last and the pin holes and pins and latch In therein are the same as those shown in the preceding figures. v

The link 5B is made of a single piece of wir rst attened and then bent to the form shown. The `intermediate part ofthe link is bent to a curve, the radius of which is about 2% inches on the inside. The ends of the wire are bent over so that they extend substantially either parallel to or concentric with ther intermediate portionof the link. The ends of the link are spaced from the intermediate part a little more thanj the diameter of the pins I5 and Il. The wholelink is made about 211% inches in length and about 15s inch in width in its widest part. The open space insidevof the link is about 21/3 inches `long and the gap between the ends of the link is about 3Aririch.

The ends 5| and 52 of the link aremade suif ciently long so that when the pins |5 and I1 are nearest together as is shown in Figure 'I the link Ycannot become disengaged from the pins.

The operation of placing the last on the jack post and unlocking the fore part of the last so that it can move from thev position shown in Figure 6.to the position shown in Figures 7.l and 8 are substantially the same as the operations above described in connection with Figures 1 to 5 inprecisely thesameras the link 9 functions with this edge by reason of VVits cut away portion v,or

deep recess indicated at 21 in the several gures referred to.

The locking device Il) releases and locks the two parts of the last in precisely the same way as heretofore described.

I claim:

l. A last having a heel part and a fore part divided by two planes connected by a narrow shelf placed near the sole of the last, each of said parts having an edge that meets in the sole of the last, a link connecting said heel part and said fore part, a pin in each part of the last with which said link engages, said link being recessed on the under side with a deep recess to receive the edge of the heel when the link and fore part of the last is swung below the heel part of the last.

2. A last having a heel part and a fo-re part divided by two planes connected by a narrow shelf placed near the sole of the last, each of said parts having an edge that meets in the sole of the last, a link connecting said heel part and said fore part, a pin in each part of the link with which said link engages, said link being recessed on the under side with a deep recess to receive the edge of the heel when the link and fore part of the last is swung below the heel part of the last, said edge of the heel part of the last being adapted to nest into the recess to permit the fore part of the last to swing to the end of its movement.

3. A last having a heel part and a fore part divided by two planes connected by a narrow shelf placed near the sole of the last, each of said parts having an edge that meets in the sole of the last, a link connecting said heel part and said fore part, a pin in each part of the last with which said link engages, said link being recessed on the under side with a deep recess to receive the forward edge of the heel part when the link and fore part are swung below the heel part of the last, said link being adapted to swing through an angle of 90.

4. A last having a. heel part and a fore part divided by two planes connected by a narrow shelf placed near the sole of the last, each of said parts having an edge that meets in the sole of the last, a link connecting said heel part and said fore part, a pin in each part of the last with which said link engages, said link being recessed on the under side with a deep recess to receive the forward edge of the heel part when the link and fore part are swung below the heel part of the last, said link permitting the rear edge of the sole of the fore part to move far enough to make contact with the bottom of the heel part near the rear end thereof. l

5. A last having a heel part and a fore part divided by two planes which planes are connected by a narrow shelf, a pin in each of said parts, a locking device pivotally mounted on the pin in the fore part of the last, a shoulder in said locking device, a pin in the heel part of the last with which said shoulder engages, said two pins and said shelf being connected by lines that form a triangle.

6. A last having a heel part and a fore part divided by two planes which planes are connected by a narrow shelf, a pin in each of said parts, a locking device pivotally mounted on the pin in the fore part of the last, a shoulder in said-locking device, a pin in the heel part of the last with which said shoulder engages, said two pins and said shelf being connected by lines that form approximately a right angle triangle.

7. A last having a heel part and a fore part divided by two planes connected by a narrow shelf placed near the sole of the last, each of said parts having an edge that meets in the sole of the last,

a link connecting said heel part and said fore part, a pin in each part of the last with which said link engagea/the heel part and the fore part being angularly movable about the axes of said pins, respectively, and said link being recessed on the underside with a deep recess to permit the forward edge of the heel part to move across a line connecting said axes when the last is collapsed.

HENRY F. LOEWER. 

